The Petrie-Flom Center hosted a discussion of the issues surrounding noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT), a screening method for detecting certain specific chromosomal abnormalities, as well as sex, in utero. NIPT may help mothers avoid other tests that could put their pregnancies at risk, but the ability to detect substantial information about a developing fetus with such ease raises a wide range of important ethical and legal issues. Our discussion covered background on the technology, what makes NIPT unique, issues with global dissemination, eugenics concerns and legislative responses.

Panelists include:

Cosponsored by the Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics at Harvard Law School and the Center for Bioethics at Harvard Medical School, with support from the Oswald DeN. Cammann Fund.